This invention relates to systems for blocking viewing or recording of television programs which exceed a ratings, spending limit, or other viewing limitation set by a supervisor.
Video signal processing systems such as television tuners contained in television sets, video cassette recorders, or cable boxes which are suitable for coupling to a display device such as a picture tube and which contain circuitry and software designed to prevent viewing of programs containing ratings information below a level set by a supervisor, commonly known as “V-chip,” or exceeding spending limits in pay-per-view systems, are known. The so-called V-chip is a programmed processor which allows the supervisor with a password, usually a parent, to set a ratings level, so that supervised viewers such as young children cannot view “higher” rated broadcasts.
A device or system that provides ratings control permits a user to prevent certain programs and/or scenes from being viewed and heard based on certain criteria, e.g., the content of the program/scenes or the subscription cost. For example, a parent might specify that programs and/or scenes including violent subject matter should be excluded. Alternatively, a supervisor can specify a rating limit, such as PG-13, and programs and scenes exceeding that limit (e.g., R and X rated programs) could not be viewed or heard. The adult with the password can also limit the use of pay-per-view or can limit the pay-per-view spending limit. By decoding program content information included in an auxiliary information component of a television signal, e.g., Extended Data Services (XDS) data included in an NTSC television signal in the United States or PSIP data included in an ATSC television signal, a television receiver containing a data “stripper” (i.e., data decoder) can “slice” (i.e., extract) information from the television signal (e.g., from the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of an NTSC signal or from PSIP data in an ATSC signal), decode the data to determine the content and rating of television programs and scenes, and compare the content and rating to the limits set by a user. When V-Chip ratings control is activated by the a viewer who has the proper authorization (hereinafter referred to as “supervisor” or “parent”), and a ratings limit is set, the processor within the receiver utilizes a “stripper” which functions to slice, or extract, ratings information contained in the television signal for most broadcast programs and channels. When the ratings information exceeds the value elected by the authorized supervisor, the processor is designed to blank the screen and mute the audio portion of the broadcast. For television receivers which also have multi-image display capability, i.e., produce a display containing main and auxiliary images (e.g., systems that provide picture-in-picture (PIP) or picture-outside-picture (POP) features), the receiver must provide ratings control for both main and auxiliary programs if both main and auxiliary pictures are displayed and the supervisor has activated ratings control. For those programs and scenes that exceed the specified limits, the system causes the video display to be modified, e.g., blanked, and the audio is muted. In addition, the system may display a message indicating the reason for the interrupted reception and the expected duration of the interruption (e.g., SCENE EXCEEDS CONTENT LIMIT). The supervisor may also deactivate the V-chip ratings control by choosing to permit any level of broadcast to be displayed; in such case no blocking of program content by rating takes place.
The supervisor may also have the option to set other limits such as spending for “pay per view” events and/or accumulated time that a viewer has access to the system. The viewer or class of viewers can be identified by a profile which can be given a name such as “children,” “parents,” and the like. Each profile is a collection of permission levels.
Some existing systems use multiple profiles, for example a profile for a younger child, a second profile for an older child, and a third profile for the parents. Each profile may have a different ratings limit and pay-per-view spending limit
The ratings in the current “V-chip” system uses a ratings system as follows, from the most permissive to the most restrictive:
TV-YAll childrenTV-Y7Directed to children age 7 and aboveTV-7-FVContains fantasy violence or comedicviolence, but otherwise directed to age 7 and aboveTV-GAppropriate for all ages, containing little orno violence, sex, or adult languageTV-PGUnsuitable for younger childrenTV-PG-VContains higher level of violence thanaverage TV-PGTV-PG-SContains higher level of sexual situationsthan average TV-PGTV-PG-LContains higher level of coarse languagesome suggestive dialogue than average TV-PGTV-14MTV-MAMature audience only, unsuitable forchildren under 17 years of age
The V-chip can also be set to block Motion Picture of America (MPAA) rated movies above a supervisor-set level for movies on cable TV which have not been edited for television and retain their original rating, according to the following ratings system:
GGeneral audiencesPGParental guidance suggested, may not besuitable for all childrenPG-13Parents strongly cautioned. Some materialmay be inappropriate for children under 13RRestricted, under 17 requires a parent or guardianNC-17No one under 17 admitted
With currently available technology, in situations where the supervisor wishes to permit viewing of a particular television broadcast when the supervised person or group is not present, for example if the children are asleep and the parents wish to watch an NC-17-rated movie broadcast on cable TV, the supervisor must reset the ratings limit, set the profile to the parent profile (in a multiple profile system) or completely unlock the system using the password, and then the more restrictive level must be reset so that the children's restriction limit is restored.
Due to the inconvenience of having to reset the ratings limit or completely unlocking the system after completion of the special broadcast, many supervisors do not remember or do not bother to reset the ratings or restore the active profile to the normal profile, and thereby fail to effectively use the ratings control system to its full advantage. The present invention addresses that problem.